New York was, in it's own way, less predictable than Corsica. With her grandmother, Marie had travelled the length of the island, visiting Napoleon's family home - now a museum - several times over. Perhaps it wasn't so much predictability that had led Marie to leave, then, but boredom. Familiarity. In an invocation of the old-fashioned saying, it was familiarity that had bred contempt with Corsica, for Marie. That was not to say she loathed the island, more that it was easy to find faults or openly dislike it because she had been there so long. Travelling, as she had.. It was rewarding. Still depressingly predictable, somehow, sometimes mind-numbingly so, but it was still new and fresh and different. To encounter new places was rewarding, given her own future often remained somehow fuzzy compared to others, and the varying fates of those she had come across along the were slightly more interesting than repeatedly scaring the locals back home; The slightest of smiles quirked it's way onto her face as she thought about that - the way that one of them had grabbed a crucifix and waved it at her following an astoundingly correct prediction had been one of the few instances where Marie had burst into utter hysterics.

The other times could be counted with merely the fingers of one hand.

Seriously, though; Waving a crucifix at her and babbling things like Marie was something out of the Exorcist? When all she'd done was what she'd been paid to do - Make a prediction. It wasn't her fault that the old man's wife had been hit by a car and rendered little more than a vegetable because Marie had drawn the 'Death' card, was it? Just because it potentially indicated a world-changing experience, it didn't mean you were going to have a good one. Death didn't mean your experience meant you'd win the lottery or get a raise.

Her expression flattened at the memory. Another reason she'd left home. She did occasionally think about her grandmother, called her from time to time; She was doing well enough, from what she;d heard, looking after her garden and whatnot. Occasionally, she felt the urge to go back, just in case any of the idiots who had taken exception to Marie decided they wanted to take out their frustrations on her grandmother; At the same time.. Well, if something was going to happen, what right did Marie have to intervene? It was.. Frustrating and contradictory, sometimes. But Marie was content that destiny would arrange something at least vaguely noble for her grandmother; If one of the locals did try to do something, then Marie would naturally have a roaring rampage of revenge in mind. Again, however, nothing seemed to be in the cards right now, which left Marie free to concentrate on the here and now, for a change.

Sipping at the coffee - much better than back home, she was happy to find - she pondered what had brought her here; Naturally, it was crystal clear in her mind - a phone call from an individual representing a wealthy sort had asked her to come and meet their employer here. Marie would've preferred the apartment she was currently renting out with the dwindling remains of her father's fortune, but at the same time, she could see how that was unwise. A business proposition had been mentioned, and since Marie occasionally had trouble navigating her own future in the cards, she hadn't been able to figure out what this was about. She imagined it wasn't something to do with her fortune-telling skills, somehow. Still.. All in good time. Every piece fell into place, she told herself, and this was just another piece. With any luck, it would be another job opportunity, and she could finally move out of the wretched little hellhole she was stuck in.

Because she did not want to see another cockroach.

She didn't blame anyone except herself, in that instance, of course. She had gone to that apartment, she had agreed to take it; And now she had to pay the consequences and not wet herself every time something unsavoury started moving about beneath her bath. So yes, she was hoping - well, not hoping, because that was much too positive a word - planning on moving on to greener pastures. Idly, she stirred her coffee again, then glanced at her watch, her shadowed eyes narrowing. Her mystery caller and potential benefactor wasn't late, but... Well, Marie was starting to get the feeling that he/she/they were one of those sorts that made it somewhere on the dot, and no sooner, no later. "Typique," she remarked in her native language, sourly stirring her coffee once more...

The soft roar of an almost unidentifiable piece of classical music played on in the background, the chorus of strings singing their sweet sweet lullaby to all that would take a moment and listen. It was for an audience of one and no more than that. Sebastian Shaw, the currently deposed Lord Imperial of the Hellfire Club, New York chapter; he was the only occupant in the rear of the limo that was gliding down the streets of New York on his way to his afternoon appointment. It was assuredly a deviation from his normal meetings and appointments. Say nothing of the odd location, a quiet diner deep in the heart of the city, but even more strange was who the appointment was with.

Marie Colbert. She was a woman of rare and exceptional talents, so it came to be that Shaw was willing to forgo some of his normal tendencies and preferences when it came to meetings of the type and had allowed her to set the tone for where and when they would meet. You catch more flies with honey was the old adage and he would have been willing to empty the honey reserves of the western United States to ensure that this woman felt comfortable in this meeting. Her skills and abilities were far too rare and immensely important in some upcoming hostile takeovers he was planning. So what if he would have rather met up town at his offices in much more comfortable surroundings, in the end of all things, the ends would always justify the means.

When the limo finally came to a halt, Sebastian neatly folded the copy of the New York Times, he had been reading and tossed aside stepping out of the car with a swagger and flow that is only held by people who know exactly how important they are. People that move at their own pace no matter what, because frankly, they can. Others will move for them, not the other way around. Taking a moment to breathe in the air, Sebastian Shaw collected himself and proceeded to enter the establishment. Quickly taking an account of those gathered there he found his target, sitting quietly by herself. With the grace of a stalking tiger he walked over to the table where she was seated, and politely extended his hand.

"Miss Colbert, its a pleasure. My name is Sebastian Shaw, and I would like to offer you a job."

Much like the serpent in the garden of Eden, Shaw's offer came with many strings and unspoken conditions that she would most likely never become fully aware of. On the surface the offer would look exactly as he wanted it, too good to be true, yet staring at her in black and white. After all the best lies are the ones that we want to believe.

Marie looked up, interested, as the man she was due to meet arrived. Her eyes narrowed slightly; She was no idiot - a man who moved like that, with the pace of.. Well, a tiger, almost, yet taking all the time in the world, like he owned this room - and if he didn't own it, then he could easily if he so desired - he was clearly not someone to be trifled with. The precognitive mutant was immediately on edge as the man approached, uncertain of how to handle him. Hopefully, he was just here for a job offer, and not anything else, because Marie was already getting an immediate sense of just how dangerous this man was; Deciding to try and keep him in a good mood, she actively rose to her feet to shake his hand. Marie had never actually held a proper job in her life, but she knew proper manners and courtesies. He looked like the sort that would appreciate them. Following the brief handshake, she sat in time with him - not before, and not after, knowing that either could make a bad impression. She was eager to learn more about him, however, even with the immense level of danger she felt the man represented. But.. Was he a danger to her?

Good question, one her powers - suitably vague at the moment - had failed to answer satisfactorily. At least for now. Marie then considered that he had taken the time to contact her - and her details weren't exactly out there for everyone to find; As such, that suggested some manner of digging. So if he intended harm to her, he was at least waiting. But still - he could've killed her anyway.

"The pleasure's all mine, M'sieur Shaw," she replied softly, before nodding slightly at his explanation that he intended to offer her a job; "Oui, oui. I imagined as much. Part of me wonders whether this job offer should come with the tempting offer of an apple, non?" she suggested. "I am not stupid, M'sieur Shaw," she informed him carefully, "I am quite interested in any job that a man such as yourself is offering. But please, and I'll ask politely, do not assume me to be a fool. I imagine you have something of an empire - full of corporate takeovers, mergers and buyouts, oui? All subterfuge and corporate espionage," she continued, her French tones making the stealthy terms sound oddly romantic. "And yet.. Hn, this is not a boast, at all - If you try to play games with me, knife me in the back if the contract sours? I will see it coming, M'sieur Shaw," she promised him.

She shrugged loosely, knowing that the veneer of respect and courtesy she had applied when meeting him had been tarnished slightly. "This is not to say I would not be a loyal employee, of course. I'm merely saying that I know I'm in the Garden of Eden when I'm in it," she joked, smirking slightly, "At the same time, I know you would not contact me without knowing what I can do. So.. I am, as they say, all ears, M'sieur Shaw."